20 TV Show Finales That Are Totally Flawless

For the most part, the second half of this list has been all about catharsis and tying everything up in a nice bow.

But then there's Angel's finale, Not Fade Away, which allows the core, demon-fighting gang at its centre to avert an apocalypse, but then fails to give fans a glimpse at the final battle.

In an episode which pits Angel (David Boreanaz), Spike (James Marsters) and the gang against the demons responsible for the coming armageddon, everyone gets a moment to partake in some awesome world-saving badassery, whether it's Wesley (Alexis Denisof) going toe-to-toe with an all-powerful warlock, or Angel facing off against his indestructible boss.

Complete with clever throwbacks to earlier seasons, appearances from long-missing characters and a series of staggering fight sequences, Not Fade Away represents the very best of Angel as a show, and its final shot - Angel, Spike, Gunn (J. August Richards) and Illyria (Amy Acker) facing off against the army of hell before the screen cuts to black - is nothing short of a masterstroke.